The video embedded above was sent out by the MTA last night. It’s complete with some artistic B-roll, a charming MTA employee who just screams “New York,” and a backbeat. It’s also completely unnecessary.

We all get it. And most New Yorkers are willing to give credit where credit is due: the MTA did a fine job restoring public transportation following Hurricane Sandy. But the fact remains: the MTA wants to raise its rates to cover its budget shortfalls. Those shortfalls will likely include the costs associated with recovering from the storm.

The MTA didn’t immediately respond when asked how much it cost to produce this video. But, while producing this video probably is just a drop in the MTA’s $9.1 billion a year bucket, New Yorkers don’t want music videos. We want lower rates.

We’ll let you know if we hear back from the MTA regarding the cost of the video.

*UPDATE* An MTA spokeswoman offered us the following explanation: “[The cost is] minimal. MTA has one employee who does You Tube videos for all six MTA agencies. We have been utilizing this medium for several years now as another way to better communicate with our customers and let them know about the work going on throughout the MTA.”

"More than any other contemporary African-American athlete, his ability to thrive in the pressure cooker of corporate America, while never making any embarrass­ing 'I’m not black, I’m universal' comments or selling his soul rather than just his visage, makes him a role model"

“Though his work for human rights is unassailable, the books grow worse and worse, the tales of his derring-do more and more farfetched. Finally, without at all forgiving him his lies, one feels sorry for Kosinski.”